Strangers At A Glance
by MothToANewFlame
Summary: When Barry met Iris... A random unexpected encounter interlinks Allen and West into each other's lives - but was it fate that brought them there in the first place? Budding West/Allen fanfic, slowly finding its footing in the Arrowverse...
1. Chapter 1: An Exception

**Strangers at a Glance**

"Got a name, handsome?"

Barry looked up from his trance, startled to see a frothy young blonde staring his way from a few inches down the bar. She leaned over, tempting him with leading hazel eyes and while aggressive women were generally not his type, he still managed a friendly grin.

"Ah, it's Barry," he answered delicately, watching as she used it to prompt the bartender.

"Another of whatever Barry's having?" she asked, glancing at his empty glass. "Hopefully it'll loosen him to finally look my way," she added.

He averted the flirty overture, flattered nonetheless. "Sorry, just a little distracted tonight," he found himself apologizing, and then waved down the bartender. "But no thanks, I'm good."

"Come on," she continued to press, flipping hair over her left shoulder. "I've been watching you all night, that's only your first."

He chuckled at her observation, suddenly feeling like a nerdy schoolboy being approached by the head cheerleader. _Is this how I sound when I talk to girls,_ he wondered, dismissing it soon after. She was by any standard intensely attractive, but something about him was simply unmotivated. He imagined it would probably take very little small talk to escort her home, and cursed himself inwardly for being too gallant to just have a normal Friday night for once. But as usual, his instincts went the less traveled path.

"Really, I'm fine," he insisted, but the bartender was already around the other side making it. "You take it, please," he offered the woman instead, graciously placing a few bills on the counter. He stood anxiously, hoping it would cover both the cost of the drink and the embarrassment of turning down her interest.

But she appeared confidently unfazed. "Fine, be that way," she smirked, letting him go. "Come back if you change your mind," she continued to lure.

Barry took it in stride, committed to calling it a night. He made his way around the other side of the bar and started for the door, only to stop just shy of his exit. In an unexpected turn of events, he found himself captivated by a woman who had just come through the door, brushing past without notice in a trench coat and heels and headed right for the bar. She was striking, toffee brown-skinned with jet black hair and almond eyes. But it was the concern in her brow that immediately drew Barry's interest. There was something on her mind and for all her charisma and beauty; it could not mask the weight on her heart. And though it felt strangely assuming, Barry soon realized he was curious what it was.

He watched nervously as she found a seat on the bar side facing the door, relieved it was out of sight from where he had just left the seductive blonde. Besides from what he could tell she had already moved onto her next victim in the bustling urban hangout, giving him just the window he needed to slip back over unnoticed. He followed his instincts yet again and retraced his steps. This time when he sat down it was with fresh perspective, hoping to reboot his evening if the intriguing woman to his right would only give him a chance…

Though he seemed familiar, Iris was certain she had never seen the tall dark-haired man lurking by the bar to her left before. His demeanor was observant, slightly anxious, but effortlessly charming as he flashed a smile her way. She initially dodged his attempt at eye contact, focusing on her phone while the blend of voices and earthy music bleated around her. She continued playing coy until finally she could no longer avoid his presence, forced to acknowledge when he caught her looking up.

"Come here often?" he quickly seized her break in concentration.

Iris kept her eyes shaded from view. "Is it obvious?" she tried a non-committal response.

"No," his answer prompted her anyway. "Actually, it's the opposite. You stand out," he remarked rather boldly, and she finally dared to look up. When their eyes met she quickly sensed a note of regret in his cadence. "I mean… in a good way," he corrected.

"Thanks?" she replied with uncertainty, expecting that would be the end of it.

But his lighthearted charm continued. "I ah, I would know," he stammered a little. "I actually _do_ come here often but I've never seen anyone like you."

Iris saw no harm in affirming his assumption. "Yeah, well you guessed right," she volunteered, finally putting her phone away. It was odd to give a stranger her full attention so quickly but she had to do something to pass the time until her drink arrived. "Today was the exception," she started slow. "It was an extremely trying day."

"I can relate to that," he agreed, but instead of going into explanation he surprised her with genuine interest. "Wanna talk about it?" She returned a skeptical look, and within seconds he was explaining. "It's just, you know they say talking to strangers is actually therapeutic."

" _They_ , huh?" Iris was suddenly amused. "As in your therapist?"

Immediately she regretted the dive right into sarcasm but he drew no offense at her witty comeback. "Not quite there yet," he laughed heartily. "But at the speed I'm going… I might be." It brought a smile to her face and he echoed it, relieved to have lightened the tension.

Just then the bartender came up. "Flash?" he muttered, and Iris wondered for a moment if it was his name until she saw the exotic red drink he placed on the counter. Despite not figuring him for one of the menu's edgier selections, she quickly wondered how he had gotten his choice ahead of hers.

"Actually it's for the lady," she heard him reply next, as if reading her mind.

"Oh no, I couldn't—" she protested, resting her purse on the counter.

"No, I insist," he continued, sliding it down until it was in front of her. "I actually ordered this earlier but you can use it more than I can. Please," he persisted.

Iris suddenly felt bashful, wondering just how much of a desperately annoyed vibe she had been giving off. "That's nice of you," she thanked him graciously. "But one sip doesn't mean I'm going to open up about my problems," she couldn't help but preface.

He still was not so easily deterred. "Then I'll just have to stick around until you finish," he replied shrewdly. It was finally enough to wear down her exterior and she couldn't help but exchange a smile, welcoming enough for him to slide one seat closer. "Listen my name is—" he began but was adversely interrupted.

"Barry!" a voice from behind finished his sentence, and Iris turned to see an alluring blonde haired woman coming their way. "You decided to stick around?"

One look at his face told Iris the woman had identified him accurately, but his expression quickly turned to flustered. "Ah yeah," he answered nervously.

Iris watched as the woman stumbled a little on her way over, and even though she appeared somewhat tipsy it appeared they were already acquaintances. "I'm sorry," she apologized, somewhat unnerved at the thought. "Are you here with someone?" she addressed to Barry.

"No, no not at all!" he swore, but incriminating evidence was mounting as blonde neared, leaning on him for balance and then reaching over to take the drink in front of Iris.

"Hey, that's mine!" she grabbed it, eyeing her up. "He ordered that for me – who are you?"

Even with Barry squirming to explain, Iris was suddenly too uncomfortable to debate. "No one, trust me," she answered in short, both standing and reaching to grab her purse in one quick motion. "I was just on my way out."

"No _wait,_ " Barry insisted, wriggling away from the other woman to follow after her. "Hey—I didn't even get to—" he began, but Iris was almost at the door.

"It's fine," she spun half around quickly, gesturing for him to stay put. "I told you, today was an exception," she recalled. She parted with a judgmental once-over, hoping he got the message that she was not interested in playing games. "I should have known better to stick to my rule."

With that she left swiftly, thrusting her hands in her pockets as she stormed out the door and back into the safe comforts of an evening spent alone. _What were you thinking,_ she scolded herself over and again as she marched at a furious pace, anxious to just get away from yet another inkling of hope vanished. There was solace in walking fast, as if running from what felt like a life sentence – no matter what it seemed, anything that felt too good to be true probably was. Even chance meetings at a bar with a kind stranger that had actually been the first person to bring an honest smile to her face in weeks. And as good as it felt to let her guard down for a second, Iris knew it was only a matter of time before the matter weighing her down returned.

It depressed her to think there was no avoiding it, so much so that she was somewhat in a daze after flagging down a taxi and sliding into the backseat.

"Where to?" the driver prompted her, and at once she finally remembered she still had to make the trip back to her hotel.

"298 East 57th—" she began, before suddenly recognizing there was a bigger issue at hand than the one weighing on her mind. "Oh no," she gasped after scouring her pockets and the empty seat next to her. In all her haste to run out of the bar… she had left her purse behind.

 **A/N: Hello, just a fun little Westallen fanfic I started daydreaming the other day. I was inspired listening to a few tracks off of Sabrina Claudio's album and found myself picturing a city/random encounter scenario where Barry Allen and Iris West met as complete strangers… still deciding whether it's going to follow the course of the "Arrowverse" and Central City but for now it's just for fun. Would you like to see it keep going? Let me know! Have a few ideas for how it could turn out… Thanks and please review what you think!**


	2. Chapter 2: Lost Possession

"If I knew you got distracted this easily I would've tried a little harder—"

Barry interrupted the blonde woman's mindless chatter, brushing away her wandering hands as he returned irritably to the bar. "Hey, why did you do that?" he asked instead, ignoring her overture.

"Oh, I'm sorry," she feigned ignorance, glancing at the door. "Were you honestly trying to pick that girl up just now?"

Barry began tapping the counter anxiously, waiting for the bartender to hurry up and bring the bill. "No, it's just we were talking..." he fumbled for words. "She was having a bad day and I—" he cut himself short, still unsure of what their exchange was. It was barely a conversation. "Listen, why don't you just call it a night?" he directed his annoyance at her instead.

She snorted, not ready to give up that easy. "Oh, I would but," she paused, dangling her keys in hand while swaying hintingly. "Really don't think I'm in any condition to drive."

 _Just great,_ Barry thought to himself. As much as he wanted to leave her high and dry, he suddenly felt a moral obligation to make sure she got home safe. He let out a hefty sigh as he settled the bill, wondering how he ended up picking up the tab for a woman he could care less about; adding to that now likely seeing her home.

"Alright, come on," he digressed, nodding in the direction of the door. "I'll walk you outside and call you a cab."

She was on her feet swiftly, though not quite as agreeable with the option. "Don't bother," she suggested, leaning on him throughout the short walk outside. She stopped just shy of the curb. "I'm parked right here."

Barry turned to appraise her modern choice of vehicle, not quite what he expected for her type. He looked off in the direction of where his mystery acquaintance had left, immediately wishing he was catching up to her instead of personally assisting the obstacle that ruined their interchange.

"How far are you?" he quizzed apprehensively. It would be the final determining factor.

"Midtown," she replied, slipping into the passenger side rather presumptuously. "Try not to go too fast – I'm feeling a little dizzy."

Barry grimaced but followed the command anyway, going against his better judgment. He made a face and reluctantly got in, deciding it was his last favor for the night. "Fine, I'll take you home," he agreed, which seemed rather obvious by now. "But going slow has never been my strong suit…"

By the time they arrived at her building she was already passed out, relieving Barry of having to decline her request to come up that she repeatedly offered on the way there. Instead he relied on the doorman's assistance to get her out of the car, who assured he would see her to the elevator. His next concern was how to return her keys after parking the car, but luckily the doorman insisted on taking care of the rest.

"Guess this is a usual Friday night for her," he presumed, leaning back to take a long look at the rundown building. The doorman concurred with a nod, helping her gain her footing to the main entrance.

Barry shook his head watching her stumble through, and then sighed with relief that he was finally free to go home. He slipped a hand in his pocket to casually start in the opposite direction, and it was only then he noticed she had dropped something getting out of the car.

"Hey wait!" he called back, rushing over to grab it before they disappeared inside. It was a thin purse, but something told him to take a peek inside before returning it. Thankfully, it rescued him from making the worst decision he could have ever made. One look at the license in the slim wallet and he suddenly realized his charge for the evening could add 'thief' to her list of offenses.

"Sir?" the second doorman had overheard and was already coming his way.

"Ah, nevermind," Barry rushed to wave him off. He turned briskly in the other direction in case he tried to pursue, and with each step reveled in the unbelievable second chance he had been granted. Because the purse he clutched clearly belonged to the intriguing woman he thought he would never see again, one he could now identify: _Iris Ann West._

* * *

"Please sir, if you'll just let me go inside, I promise the hotel can take care of the fare—"

"Cash or credit only."

Iris let out a sigh. It was her second attempt at trying to convince her driver she wasn't trying to take him for a free ride. By now it had to be obvious that she was from out of town and unfamiliar with local custom. In the city she grew up in, it was not out of the ordinary for a driver to simply wait outside while a customer quickly ran in to get money. But the entire evening was turning into a reminder that she was not at home, the highlight of which had to be clumsily allowing her purse to get stolen.

"Listen, I know this is unusual," she insisted after a deep breath, praying he would finally agree. "But I promise – if you just let me run inside I _will_ return with the full cost of the ride, I'll even tip extra for your patience. The welcome desk is right there – look," she tapped on the rear window, urging him to look through. "You can watch me from here."

After much consideration the driver finally consented. "Fine. Go quick," he instructed.

Iris nodded with emphatic relief, slipping out of the backseat and indoors in a flourish. A few heads turned at the sound of her heels tapping hurriedly through the main lobby, and the desk manager was already at attention when she approached.

"Hi – I have a dilemma," she explained right away. "My purse was stolen after my conference this evening, and I need to pay the cabbie I took to get back here. Is there anyway the hotel can cover it or add it to my room charge?" she pleaded.

The pleasant look on the desk manager's face slowly shifted to unaccommodating. "I'm so sorry ma'am, but the hotel is only authorized to cover charges for our personal driving service," he delivered the bad news. "I can assist you with contacting your bank for a wire transfer, but I would need to see your license?"

"But I just told you my purse was stolen," Iris was beginning to get impatient.

The desk manager attempted to be obliging. "I can contact the police if you'd like to file a report?" he offered.

She huffed, knowing it still wouldn't fix her problem. "Ok… and in the meantime what am I supposed to tell him," she referred to the driver waiting outside. She could almost feel him getting anxious at the amount of time it was taking to sort this out.

Though not intentionally, the desk manager was proving to be of no help at all. "I'm sorry ma'am," he shrugged. "I don't know what to tell you."

Iris closed her eyes and leaned her head back slowly, trying to think of what to do. It hadn't even dawned on her that her room key was in the purse, which she could only imagine would be another charade to figure out. Resolving it did no good standing there in thought, she made her way back to the revolving door. She shook her head as she walked outside, staring down to contemplate just what she would say with each step. There was less than ten feet between her and the curb when she finally looked up to face the music—only to see the cabbie suddenly pull off and drive away.

"Hey," she whispered in a mix of shock and unexpected relief. _Did he just let me off the hook,_ she wondered, slipping her hands out of her pockets. And it was only then that she realized someone coming up a few paces to her left – the man she had met at the bar.

"Something tells me you've been looking for this?" he greeted her, reaching out to extend her purse.

"Oh my goodness, _yes,_ " she sighed, taking it appreciatively. She looked up at him in awe, suddenly full of questions. "Thank you so much—how did you—" she sputtered.

"Don't worry," he assured first, watching as she verified her wallet and other prized items were inside. "I didn't use it to pay the cab fare. But I did use it to find you – Iris West, is it? You have an exceptionally good license photo," he added, hoping to relax the tension.

She looked up, flattered but mostly impressed. "Yes, I'm Iris," she exhaled, forcing a smile to her lips. "I guess we didn't get to the part of exchanging names back there," she recalled, slightly embarrassed.

He made light of it, merely reaching out to shake her hand. "Barry Allen," he introduced himself in return. "I have to confess I saw your room key in there too," he shared with a sincerely honest look. "But if I hadn't, I probably wouldn't have found you as easily."

Iris couldn't help laughing. "I'm glad you did," she acknowledged graciously. "Getting this back tonight made my life so much easier than if you had sent it to my house."

"Oh, I wouldn't have bothered sending it," Barry replied casually, and for a moment she wondered if he was retracting his kind gesture. "I mean, I would have just dropped it off – I'm from Central City too."

"Really?" Iris perked up with interest. Something about finding out they shared the same hometown prompted her to give him the once-over, as if readjusting her first impression. "I just assumed you were local?"

Barry lobbed his head from side to side. "Well, I live locally now but I go home to visit occasionally…" he explained somewhat vaguely. His glance trailed from her purse back up to her eyes, focusing more intently. "But getting that back to you definitely would have been well worth the trip."

It was his most forward compliment to her yet, and Iris blushed slightly, allowing a moment for it to resonate. "I, um," she fumbled for a reply, glancing down at her feet. "I'm sorry to have made you come out of your way," was all she could think of. It sounded silly after hearing him just insist it he would have gone even further, but it was difficult not to be awkward. He had a rare gentleness she wasn't used to.

Barry watched her fidget, mirroring the reaction with his own shift in stance. "Ah, actually _I_ should apologize," he soon remembered one last thing that needed to be said. "I'm pretty sure it was my fault it got stolen in the first place."

"Stolen?" Iris repeated, pulling back a notch. "I thought I left it at the bar?"

"I mean, you might've," Barry acknowledged, unable to fill in exactly all of the detail. "It's just I think someone distracted you at just the right moment so you didn't notice the swipe…"

Iris followed his hint, folding her arms. "Oh, right," she recalled with a smirk. "Your ah, tipsy girlfriend?"

"She is _not_ my girlfriend," Barry insisted emphatically. "And if not for me turning down her advances _twice_ before you walked in, she wouldn't have even known who I was," he added in his defense.

But Iris remained collectively calm, even partially amused. Stranger as he was, she realized she believed him without a doubt. There was a sweetness in his expression that supported his claim, as if someone with his level of unassuming charm wasn't even the type to pick up a girl in a bar, much less that one. And yet he was lingering in company with _her_ , long after he had to, and showing more interest than a kind Samaritan performing a good deed. And to her benefit, she realized she didn't want him to leave any more than he seemed to want to go.

He was still outpouring the backstory when she tuned back in. "Barry," she soothed with an offsetting grin. Without realizing, she had placed her hand on his arm to calm his explanation. She softly pulled back. "I believe you," she assured him. "But, do you mind telling me the rest over coffee?" she suggested, surprising herself.

"Coffee—like you and me, grab a coffee?" he repeated, clearly as surprised as she was.

Again with his bumbling charm, Iris thought, unable to prevent herself from smiling. "Yeah, it's the least I can do to thank you," she gave herself fair reason, though she really did not need one. Her gaze moved to the hotel, and Barry followed it.

"Sure, is there like a café downstairs?" he presumed, figuring she wanted to stay close by.

But after a longer look Iris was reminded of the slightly irritating exchange with the front desk. "Actually, I think I'd like a change of scenery," she decided instead, looking away. "Do you mind if we walk a little, maybe find a different spot?"

Barry's expression relaxed considerably and Iris read it as him being delighted with the idea. "Yeah, that would be great," he agreed. He gestured for her to walk ahead of him but she hung back slightly.

"You lead the way," she insisted, reminding him she was fairly unfamiliar with the city.

He nodded, appearing content just to extend their time together. With his first step to the right Iris followed, close enough so they could walk in step but still with a shy amount of space between them. She smiled nervously, and Barry returned it with a grin that put her at ease as they began their stroll.

"I know just the place."

 **A/N: Hope you liked this one! Inspired a little by their reconstructed first encounter in Flashpoint, but this time Barry didn't have to steal her wallet- someone else did, lol. More to come for these two, I'm envisioning this as a little adventure into the night that may go further depending on how it goes… Think I'm also going to stick with the format of telling the story half from Barry's perspective and half from Iris. Let me know your thoughts and if you like! Thanks for reading :)**


	3. Chapter 3: Misdirection

"This place is really cozy…"

Barry tucked away a proud smile as Iris took a few steps ahead of him, selecting the very seats he had been eyeing from the door, right by the fireplace. It was fairly unsurprising that she liked his choice of venue, given the aura of warmth and enchantment inside. Something about unwinding in a small hole-in-the-wall coffee shack was just therapeutic, from the frosted windows to the light jazz playing in the background and finally the crisp scent of fresh grinds.

He reached out to pull her chair a notch back for her to sit down. "Yeah, it's one of my favorites," he agreed heartily. His face flushed with excitement as he took his seat across. "I was actually glad you suggested finding someplace else. I've been coming here for a while now and their espresso is the best in the city."

"Mm, I will take a double shot of that," Iris was quickly sold, repeating it to the waitress that approached. "Thank you," she whispered after they both gave their orders, and again Barry felt himself blushing. He glanced away, hoping she would be too distracted with the ambience to notice, but her interest was already perked. "What?" she asked.

"Oh- nothing, I ah," he stammered, willing himself to slow down. _Don't ruin it,_ he thought, hoping his rushed sentences didn't sound like gibberish. "I guess I didn't expect you to be so agreeable—taking my word on first the place, and what to order," he observed brightly.

"Hm, you're right. Well, what can I say, Barry Allen," Iris busied herself with the menu. "I guess I trust you? I mean, you did come halfway across town just to return my wallet," she pointed out.

"Fair enough," Barry concurred with a chuckle. He was eager to dive in so much more, but he paced himself. "So what are you in town for anyway?"

Iris looked up with a note of reservation. "Work conference," she shared in part, guarding the rest closely. His next question must have read clearly on his face because she answered without him asking. "I'm in mergers and acquisitions for a law firm."

"Wow," Barry acknowledged. Though it fit her sharply attired appearance, he was still impressed. "Sounds pretty important?"

"It pays the bills," Iris stayed fairly vague, leave for muttering a quick comment under her breath as she took a sip of table water. "Which I have a lot of," she added, anxiously moving on. "It's not my dream job. I always wanted to be a journalist but it turns out they don't get paid that much so…" Before Barry could sympathize, she was nervously shifting gears. "What about you?"

Barry pondered how to answer. "I um, I'm sort of a private consultant… slash investigator," he offered in part, averting eye contact.

"Interesting," Iris was quickly attentive. "Is that what brought you here from Central City?"

That angle was slightly unnerving to answer. "More like needing a little time away from work actually," he divulged, hoping to shift topic.

Iris seemed immediately surprised. "Don't tell me the inner city is your idea of a sabbatical?"

Barry shrugged. "Why not? I think we both agree this is a happy distraction," he gestured to their comfy surroundings. "And its just one of the gems the city has to offer," he added.

She accepted it with less enthusiasm. "Maybe; but this area seems to have an edge," she shared her opinion. "It's one of the reasons why you stand out, to be honest." She paused, and he sensed that it was a compliment before she attempted to redirect. "I guess there's more to you than meets the eye?"

"Hey, I thought you said you trusted me," he bantered softly, though he had to give her keen instincts credit. There was something more but for now he had pushed it to the back of his mind.

Iris folded her arms on the table, leaning forward. "That doesn't mean I'm not curious," she pressed, suddenly staring deeply into his eyes. "What side of town did you grow up on? When was the last time you visited home?" Before Barry could answer she broke concentration, suddenly laughing at herself in embarrassment. "Sorry – I'm asking a lot of questions, aren't I?"

"No, it's ok," Barry insisted, finding her interest rather charming. "I mean, you did say journalism was your passion," he recalled wittily.

"Ah, very funny," Iris agreed fairly just as their drinks arrived. She nursed the hot mug in her hands, sipping it slowly. "Wow, this is really good," she had to comment, relaxing a little in her chair.

"Glad you like it," he enjoyed watching her for a moment, bracing himself before having to answer her question. "Um, so to answer you… I visit Central City at least once a month. At least the municipal complex anyway…"

"Is that part of your job, do you have to check in for work?" Iris wondered.

"Well, that and," Barry acknowledged, sensing he was going to have to offer more eventually. A quick glance at the flame dancing in her eyes from the fire roaring near them made it all the more tempting. "If I want to see the only family I have left… my father's currently serving time at Iron Heights prison."

He waited for the customary reaction of shock that it usually elicited, but Iris was refreshingly unfazed. Instead she appeared respectful of his revelation, even somewhat sympathetic. "That must be so hard for you," she slowly responded. "Only getting to visit him for such a short amount of time?"

It was a key detail for her to focus on, and Barry made a mental note of her perception. "Yeah, I do my best to keep him up to date with everything that's going on with me," he reflected. "But honestly the hardest part is knowing he doesn't deserve to be where he is. I know this may sound cliché but… I believe he's innocent."

"Of course," Iris understood with a nod. Her gaze suddenly trailed off, downwards, as if drawing upon a similar line of thinking. "I can relate actually," she began to divulge. "Not exactly to the same degree but I also have a family member who's suffering through something they don't deserve right now. And no matter what I do to try to help, all I can think is… it's not fair?"

Barry nodded, finding a measure of relief in their common solace. Even more so, it gave him a glimpse into perhaps what was troubling her, something that still held his interest from their first meeting. He tried to mentally gather what he had learned so far, interrupting his thoughts once he realized he had been staring. She followed his eyes and they both chuckled at the lengthy silence, until finally he was relieved by a distraction.

 _Pbbbtt, pbbbtt._ Barry begged away with a gesture at the sound of his phone vibrating. "Sorry, I should take this," he apologized immediately, rising to his feet. "It's work—it might be urgent."

"It must be, if they know you're on sabbatical," Iris joked, obliging with a wave.

"I'll be right back," Barry felt the need to promise anyway, but her eyes were more than forgiving. It was yet another reason he found every moment with her all the more captivating. But as soon as he was enough steps out of earshot, he was quickly reminded just how dangerous that was.

"Yeah, what is it Cisco?" he answered in a rush.

"Uh, making sure you're alright—you were supposed to check in, remember?" his longtime pal chided him in reply.

"No, I know," Barry recalled nonetheless, rubbing his forehead in angst. "It's just I'm kind of preoccupied at the moment—"

"Oh my God, you went looking for her didn't you?" Cisco interrupted, scolding again. "What is it with you and your unsolved mysteries—you never give up, do you?"

"It's not that I just don't believe in coincidences," Barry twisted for another longing look back towards where Iris was now seated alone by the fireplace. "I just really think she's the girl I've been looking for," he admitted vaguely. "Although I think I might have underestimated her connection _—_ "

"Uh-huh," Cisco cut him short. "Barry, you do realize that _stalking_ is a punishable offense right?"

Barry let out a complacent sigh. "I'm _not_ stalking her—" he started to defend.

"Wait, a minute," Cisco suddenly deduced. "Are you _there_ with her right now? Oh man, you really have gone insane—"

Barry had had enough of his judgment. "Listen, I have to go," he ended the call. "I'll let you know when I have an update."

Once disconnected, his frustration only intensified. The call had served as a jolting reminder that the series of magical moments unfolding between him and Iris were tainted by one thing: none of them were truly by chance. He had followed a primitive instinct to the bar that night in hopes of putting together a puzzle. And while there was still much to decipher, he was almost positive he had been drawn to Iris for a reason. Reluctantly, he started back to their table, desperately wishing that getting to know her was the only compelling reason to return. But in truth, there was so much more…

 **A/N: Sorry to end on a cliffhanger and only from Barry's POV, but this chapter got lengthier than I intended and I realized it worked better that way. Plus I really wanted to update! Next one will be mostly through Iris' eyes to follow the storytelling format. But I really hope you enjoyed the first hint of a little twist! More is coming on that end, I had this planned when I started out with this quick shot, and I think fans of the show and West-Allen will like where it goes. Thanks for reading and leave me a review if you can!**


	4. Chapter 4: Suspicion

With a few moments to herself, Iris finally had the chance to peruse her phone, suddenly realizing how many missed calls were waiting for her. She swiped them away, pausing to read one of the messages that were left after several attempts. It was enough to make her uneasy, shifting her expression from interested to unsettled by the time Barry returned.

"Hey," he startled her a bit upon coming back over. "Everything ok?" he asked, reading her countenance.

"I just realized how late it's getting," Iris tried to shift the attention back to him. "If you have to go I understand?"

But Barry appeared to be in no rush. "No, I'm fine," he insisted, hesitating halfway into resuming his seat. "I mean, unless you need to get rest for your work conference?"

Iris briefly thought of using it as a convenient alibi, but something about the innocence in Barry's eyes was having a confessional effect on her. "I think I'm going to head back home in the morning actually," she opened up instead. "The truth is—I came to this conference hoping to network so I could move up the corporate ladder. And after today, I'm fairly sure that's not happening so… I might as well get back where I'm needed. I know," she sighed, expecting judgment to follow. "I must sound pretty pathetic."

But there was not even a hint of distaste in his response. Barry merely studied her with intrigue and kindly waved down her concern. "No, not at all," he replied. "I mean you don't strike me as your typical corporate shark but… something tells me you have your reasons."

"I do," Iris nodded, appreciating his open-mindedness. "Remember how I was telling you a family member had been suffering unjustly? Well, about a year ago my mom was diagnosed with cancer. She started treatments pretty quickly but after a few months the bills started piling up… and then unexpectedly, she stopped. At the time I thought she had just lost hope until I realized – she had made a decision not to be a burden to me and my brother anymore."

A wrinkle creased into Barry's brow as he listened, sympathizing. "That's terrible," he commented.

"Yeah," Iris agreed grimly. "We both did our best to convince her that wasn't the case. I resigned from my small job at a publisher's office to take this one at the law firm. I thought if I could just show her that money wasn't an issue, maybe she'd go back to taking treatments?" She shrugged, conveying it was still an ongoing battle. "But things aren't exactly falling into place the way I hoped they would..."

There was a moment of silence and when Iris looked up she noticed Barry was remaining quiet out of respect for her delicate situation. In truth it was hard for her to talk about, especially since it had the effect of putting her audience in an uncomfortable position. But to his credit, Barry's silence was more reverent than disconcerting. Another minute passed and he finally spoke up.

"They still can," he offered positively. "I mean, we've only just met and I can tell you're a determined person. So if there's something that you really want to accomplish, I'm pretty sure you can do it."

"That's nice of you to say," she thanked him. "It's just; I'm not sure how long it's going to take." Iris paused to reflect, shedding light on why her dilemma was so urgent. "I won't have many more opportunities to improve our financial situation. Time… is the one thing not on myside."

Something about her phrasing struck Barry, and she watched him flinch noticeably. "I know what you mean," he acknowledged, and it intrigued her even more. But before she could pursue, he was on his feet. Assuming his earnest desire to leave was the only tie-in to his statement, Iris was prompted to gather her things.

"Here—" Barry gallantly offered his hand. "I'll walk you back to your hotel."

* * *

Iris hoped it wasn't completely obvious how slowly she was taking each step, but also couldn't help wanting to prolong the final stroll of the evening. There was little doubt it was going to be the highlight of her time away, and the more she realized what warm company Barry was, the more she wished it didn't have to come to an end. And as she sensed him taking his time also, she could only guess he too was hoping to make their enjoyable evening last.

"So tell me, Ms. West," he probed playfully. "Have you ever been in love?"

"Um, wow," Iris was fairly caught off guard, falling behind a step as she guarded a smile.

"Sorry if that was too forward—" Barry was quick to apologize, but she waved him down. Something was impelling her to answer.

"I have," she divulged, slipping nervous hands into pockets. She could feel his interest brimming at the surface as they continued to walk. "Yes, I can honestly say I have but um, unfortunately it didn't work out."

"Sorry again," Barry insisted innocently. "I didn't mean to jump right in its just—well I've been wondering all night how to find out if you were single and…" He paused, allowing her a moment to inspect his bashful expression. "Guess it would have been easier to ask that instead, heh," he chuckled.

"No, it's fine," she assured sweetly. She suddenly felt the need to return the favor. "I take it you're single too, then?"

"Oh no, I'm married," Barry returned disjointedly. Once again Iris stopped short, only to watch as he loosened his tightly clenched jaw and broke into laughter. "No, I'm kidding," he exhaled, gesturing with his left hand. "Caught you looking though?"

"I did not!" Iris swore, but cracked up nonetheless. "I mean, I was just surprised I didn't see a ring—"

"Because you had already checked for that?" Barry had his witty reply ready. His attempt to rile her was working and she pretended to swat him for it.

"Oh, aren't we getting ahead of ourselves?" she maintained, poking her chin out at him.

Barry was getting comfortable with their banter. "I have to say I'm flattered," he feigned a proud look. "It's not every day you get hit on by someone from a prestigious law firm like Wesson & Burke—" he was forced to stop, fending off more of Iris' playful swatting.

"This coming from the guy who asks, _have you ever been in love_ ," she imitated in exaggeration, stopping in her tracks for the third time. Something dawned on her in the midst of their joking. "Wait a minute—how did you know I worked for Wesson & Burke?" she suddenly asked.

The smile slowly faded from Barry's face, replaced with a caught expression. "Ah, you said it," he insisted, gesturing in the direction of the coffee shop. "Back at the café, you said you worked at—"

"I said I worked in mergers and acquisitions at a law firm," Iris recalled, clearly recollecting the specifics. "I never said which one. How could you possibly have known that?"

Even from her vantage point, Barry appeared to be frantically searching for a believable excuse. "Your um—y-your purse, it had the uh, the—" he attempted.

"The badge for the conference?" Iris' tone grew sharp as her memory only further affirmed the discrepancy. She removed her right hand from her coat pocket, showing him the badge as evidence it had been on her person the whole time. "Hasn't left my possession all night, even after I left my purse at the bar," she confirmed. Her eyes narrowed, and for the first time she felt a strong sense of doubt at the man who she had just begun to trust. "What is really going on here?"

Her heart pounded wildly with curiosity, fearful that it had only taken one slip of the tongue for her to second-guess her mysterious companion. And yet in spite of the dangerous third degree she was glaring his way, he glanced beyond it and suddenly turned about.

"Never mind that; keep moving," he whispered under his breath, taking her arm to urge her along.

"What?" Iris' first instinct was to shrug away. "No, I don't think so—" she began but he discreetly gestured to the alley they had just passed. Carefully, Iris peeked back only to glimpse several unsavory looking characters lurking in the shadows.

"Please, just trust me," Barry begged in a low whisper. " _Keep moving._ "

The strong warning in his eyes prompted Iris to just listen, tabling her reserves for once they were out of immediate danger. She kept stride, albeit uncomfortably, only to tense up even more as she heard the sound of footsteps echoing behind them.

Still playing protector, Barry responded by making a spectacle of putting his arm around her shoulder. "Honey, it's just one more block to your parents' dinner party, right?" he chimed loud enough for their followers to hear.

"Y-yeah," Iris stammered, trying hard to sell it. "They said they'll be waiting for us at the door," she added with imagination, hoping it would help.

 _"Nice,"_ Barry whispered, huddling close . He snuck another peek over her shoulder to see if the company was slowing down any. Instead, there seemed to be even more of them following at a distance. Realizing it would require more effort to lose them; he inhaled a deep breath and began scanning ahead for a secondary plan.

"Hey!" one of the crew behind them called out.

Iris flinched in fear, only to feel Barry pull her in even closer. " _What do we do_?" she gasped.

" _When I turn around, make a break for the corner and don't look back,_ " he breathed into her ear. Immediately, she followed his line of sight several yards ahead, unable to ask how he was going to manage in the interim that followed.

"Either of you two lovebirds got the time?" the same voice was taunting and this time Barry pushed off to face its owner, giving Iris the signal to take off.

"Gentlemen," Barry whirled about, hands extended palm up in the air. "As a matter of fact I do."

They gained on him aggressively, and the sound of fists being thrown were the last thing Iris heard as she hurtled in the opposite direction. "Barry!" she couldn't help crying out as she ran, though faithfully recalling his instruction not to look back. But once she reached the corner, curiosity got the best of her and she couldn't help but turn and watch, praying he was alright. It was only then she allowed herself a look, though what she saw bordered the impossible. Somehow, in the short span of seconds it had taken her to reach the end of the street, both Barry and their fearsome night stalkers had completely disappeared.

 **A/N: Apologies for the hiatus! To any readers that were hoping for an update, I was busy over the winter break and had to take some time away from writing- sorry! But I'm back and hoping to continue this story if you're still into it! This is right where it's going to get real interesting so please stay tuned and leave me a review to let me know what you think :) Thanks! ~ MothToANewFlame**


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